Loose-leaf binder



Sept. 1l, 1928. 1,683,975

H. s. HORN LOOSE LEAF B INDER Filed July 23, 1927 www l ...N mumuu.-

INVENTOR By Attorneys,

Patented Sept. 1l, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EEN-EY STANLEY HoEN, or SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNOE To w, c, HORN EEO. a oo., or NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A cOEPonA'rIoN or NEW JERSEY.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application led .Tuly 23,

The present invention relates to loose-leaf binders and the like of the type wherein the papers to be tiled are threaded upon thongs or tongues and are effectively retained in position by a latching member whereby the ends of the tongues, after heilig bent down, are prevented from slackening or becoming loose and doing injury to the file papers and to the binder cover. In devices of this kind which are flexible and bendable` are attached to a member or wing on one of the binder covers and are receivable in slots in a member or wing on the other cover, over which member or wing they are bent down and held in place against accidental displacement by suitable means. To protect the slotted tongue-receiving member or wing against undue wear, it is usually provided with a metal guard plate having slots coinciding with those in the wing member on the guard plate, and which usually also carries the means for holding the tongues against accidental displacement. In prior devices of this kind these means are so constructed as to directly engage the filed papers and usually have protnberances, which, after repeated engagement with the binder cover, tend to damage the same.

According to the present invention I propose to simplify and improve the construction of the guard plate and the latching means so that all danger of injury to the filed papers and to the top cover of the binder is overcome. This I accomplish by so forming the guard plate and latching means that the latter in their operation and latohing position are at all times free from engagement with the filed papers, and when in closed position will present a substantially smooth surface for engagement with the binder cover. The invention also includes other features of novelty which will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown a preferred construction of my loose leaf binder,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a loose leaf binder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of. Fig. 1 viewed from the right thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially along the lines 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings let A and B 1827. Serial No. 207,925.

indicate the covers of a loose leaf binder, which covers may be either rigid or semirigid, and as shown are provided with a conventional thin fabric covering. The covers are ]oined at their back by a flexible fabrio stri which may be integral with the thin fa ric covering extending over the faces of the cover members A and B, said flexible portion forming the back C of the binder. Carried by the binder covers are a pair of wing members D and E, between which the papers F to be filed are adapted to be clamped. As shown, these wing members are each enclosed in a thin fabric covering G2 the ends of which are secured to the opposite covers and the central portion of which is secured to the back C to reinforce the saine, there being suflicient play between the wingmembers, cover and back to allow forI the independent movement of any of said members.

Carried by and extending through the wing member E is a pair of flexible tongued members H, H upon which the papers F to be filed are first threaded before being clamped between the wing members in a manner hereinafter to-be made more apparent. Although tongued members are herein shown as being each formed with an enlarged head, it will be obvious that any forni of flexible tongue member now commonly employed in binders of this type may be used. The tongued members H and H after being passed through the pa )ers F are adapted to be received in lateral slots in the wing member D, after which they may be bent down over said wing member and held in. place in such fposition. To protect the wing member D rom wear, and especially the openings therein, said win member is provided with a guard plate preferably formed of metal, said plate having lateral slots K and K coinciding with the slots in the wing member in which the tongues are received. The slots in the ard plate and wing member are also pre erably incut, as shown at k, le to better hold the tongues in bent-down position. The device as thus fOr described is substantially the same as that employed in the loose leaf binders now in common use.

According to the present invention,iin order to protect the filed papers. and especially the, top sheet thereof, against being injured through the engagement therewith by the leaning means, I have devised the novel guard late and latcliin'g means herein disclosed. 'llie guard plate is preferably so formed that when mounted on the wing member one of its longitudinal edges will be in spaced relation thereto. As heren shown the guard member is -formed of sheet metal having its central portion intermediate the longitudinal edges depressed or formed 1n the shape of a trough j extending trom the slot K to the slot K adapted to accommodate the ends it and li of the tongues after the are bent down over the guard plate. It wi l be apparent, however, that for the successful operation of the invention only one edge need be in spaced relation to the wing D.

The latching members are desgnated L and L and are preferably pivotally mounted on the guard plate through the medium of e elets M and M', which also serve to secure t e guard plate to the wing member D. Each latching member consists of a flat arm l, an extension at one side of the free end of which is bent to form a liook .or U-shaped portion Z', one arm of which, together with the lat arm l, is adapted to en age over the guard plate to hold the bent-c own ends of the flexible tongues within the trough 7, and the other arm of the U-sliaped portion or hook being engageable between the spaced edge of the guard member and the win member. Preferably the length of the latching members are such that in latching position their free ends assume a substantially abutting relationship and thereby provide a substantially smooth top surface for engagement with the underside of the top cover of the binder.

In use, the binder device of the present invention is substantiallyI the same as the conventional loose leaf hinders of this general t pe, but has the advantage thereover in that,

uring the latcliing and unlatching operations and at all other times when the binder has filed papers therein, the latching members are maintained out of engagement with said filed papers, thereby preventing injury being done thereto. his advantage, although of substantial value, it will be a parent, is accomplished in an exceeding v simple manner without the expediture of either additional time or material in the production of the binder.

lVliile I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be apfparent to those skilled in the art that modi cations of the precise construction herein disclosed may be resorted to without de artin from the spirit of the invention.

at claim is:

1. A loose leaf binder or the like comprising a pair of connected members adapted to clamp tiled papers therebetween, a flexible tongue carried b one of the members, a guard plate carried by the other member,

said guard plate having a slot to receive the llexible tongue and a latehing member pivotally carried by the guard plate having a part adapted to engage over the face of the ard plate and a Sart to engage under the glee thereof to hol the tongue against displacement after it is bent down over the guard plate, said engaging parts of the atching member bein at all times out of engagement with the led papers.

2. A loose leaf binder or the like comprising a pair of connected members adapted to clamp filed papers therebetween, a flexible tongue carried b one of the members, a guard plate carried by the other member, said guard plate havin a slot to receive the flexible tongue and a depressed portion extending loigitudnally o the guard plate to receive sai tongue after it is bent down, and pivotally mounted means movable relatively to the guard plate adapted to engage over and under the face thereof to hold the tongue against displacement after it is bent down over the guard plate, said means when engaging the guard late being out of 1engagement with the ed papers.

3. A loose leaf binder or the like comprising a pair of connected members adapted to clamp filed papers therebetween, a flexible tongue carried by one of the members, a

g guard plate earned by the other member,

said guard plate having a slot to receive the flexible tongue, a member pivotally mounted on the guard late, said member having a substantiall -shaped portion, one arm of which is a alpted to engage over the guard late end ho d the tongue thereover in bentowndposition, and the other arm of the U- shape portion being engageable between the guard plate and the member by which the guard plate is carried.

4. A loose leaf binder or the like, comprising a pair of covers each carrying a wing member between which the filed papers are adapted to be clamped, flexible tongues attached to one wing member adapted to hold the apers to be filed, a guard plate, attached to t e other wing members, formed with slots adapted to receive the flexible tongues, said guard plate having a longitudinally extendinr trough formed by depressing a portion o? the guard plate to accommodate the tongues after they are bent down, latching members pivotally carried by the guard plate said latching members having substantially U-shaped portions, one arm of which is adapted to engage over the top of the guard plate to hold the bent-down tongues in the trough, and the other arm of the U-shaped portions being engageable between the guard plate and the wing member to'which it is attached.

5. A loose leaf binder or the like, comprising a pair of covers each carrying a wing member between which the led papers are movable relatively to the guard plate having parts adapted to engage over the face of the guard plate to hold the tongues against displacement after they are bent down into the trough in said guard plate, and parts engaging between the free edge on the guard plate and the wing member to which it is attached.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HENRY STANLEY HORN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

latent No. l, 683.975.

Granted September 11. 1928. to

HENRY STANLEY HORN.

`It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page l, line l0, after the word "kind" insert the words "the tonguea"; same page, line 103, for the word "for" read "far"; page 2, line 113, claim 4, for "members" read "menrber"; and the said Letters Paten' should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to die 'record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed :no sealed this 9th .Iayof October, A. D. 1928.

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Comissioner of Patente.

movable relatively to the guard plate having parts adapted to engage over the face of the guard plate to hold the tongues against displacement after they are bent down into the trough in said guard plate, and parts engaging between the free edge on the guard plate and the wing member to which it is attached.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HENRY STANLEY HORN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

latent No. l, 683.975.

Granted September 11. 1928. to

HENRY STANLEY HORN.

`It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page l, line l0, after the word "kind" insert the words "the tonguea"; same page, line 103, for the word "for" read "far"; page 2, line 113, claim 4, for "members" read "menrber"; and the said Letters Paten' should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to die 'record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed :no sealed this 9th .Iayof October, A. D. 1928.

(Seal) M. J. Moore, Acting Comissioner of Patente. 

